Monolithic bypass

ABSTRACT

A monolithic bypass includes an upstream conduit, the upstream conduit defining a first end and a second end, the upstream conduit defining an upstream bore extending from the first end to the second end, the first end defining an inlet opening to the upstream bore; a downstream conduit, the downstream conduit defining a first end and a second end, the downstream conduit defining a downstream bore extending from the first end to the second end, the first end defining an outlet opening to the downstream bore; and a bypass valve body seamlessly connected to the second end of the upstream conduit and the second end of the downstream conduit, the bypass valve body defining a bypass body bore, the upstream bore, the downstream bore, and the bypass body bore defining a seamless bypass bore extending from the inlet opening to the outlet opening; wherein the monolithic bypass is substantially U-shaped.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to valves with a bypass. More specifically, thisdisclosure relates to a monolithic bypass.

BACKGROUND

Valves in high-pressure piping systems can comprise a primary valve bodyand a bypass. When a valve is closed, a valve member, such as a gate, aball, or a disc, can seal a bore of the valve, thereby preventingpassage of fluids such as liquids or gases through the bore. When aclosed valve is subjected to a high pressure differential, a largeunbalanced force acts on the valve member of the valve. The unbalancedforce can make the valve difficult to open due to friction acting on thevalve member. The effect can be exacerbated as the cross-sectional areaof the valve bore and the pressure differential increase. Large-diametervalves can comprise a smaller bypass which can be opened to allow thepressure to equalize on either side of the larger valve, therebyalleviating the unbalanced force. It can be desirable for thelarge-diameter valve to have the bypass attached to the primary valvebody, such as in applications where space and equipment clearance arelimited. However, typical bypasses can be difficult and expensive tomanufacture. Typical bypasses are constructed from common pipe fittingssuch as elbows and nipples which are welded or mechanically coupledtogether. The welded and mechanically coupled connections can be proneto fabrication defects, misalignment between pipe fittings, and leaking.

For example, in some applications, a pair of threaded nipples can bescrewed into a pair of internally threaded holes defined by the primaryvalve body. The threaded nipples and the threaded holes commonly use atapered thread pattern, such as a National Pipe Taper (NPT) threadstandard. The threaded nipple must be fully screwed into the threadedhole in order to fully seal; however, depending on a depth and indexingof the internal threading, a flange of the threaded nipple may not beindexed properly to connect with an adjacent elbow. The depth of theinternal threading can be cut deeper to correct for indexing of theelbow, but the depth of the internal threaded holes must besubstantially similar so that the threaded nipples extend outwards fromthe primary valve body at substantially the same distance ormisalignment can occur between the elbows. Because these variables areinterrelated, properly aligning and sealing each of the common pipefittings of a typical bypass can cause extensive rework andmanufacturing delays.

SUMMARY

It is to be understood that this summary is not an extensive overview ofthe disclosure. This summary is exemplary and not restrictive, and it isintended to neither identify key or critical elements of the disclosurenor delineate the scope thereof. The sole purpose of this summary is toexplain and exemplify certain concepts of the disclosure as anintroduction to the following complete and extensive detaileddescription.

Disclosed is a monolithic bypass comprising an upstream conduit, theupstream conduit defining a first end and a second end, the upstreamconduit defining an upstream bore extending from the first end to thesecond end, the first end defining an inlet opening to the upstreambore; a downstream conduit, the downstream conduit defining a first endand a second end, the downstream conduit defining a downstream boreextending from the first end to the second end, the first end definingan outlet opening to the downstream bore; and a bypass valve bodyseamlessly connected to the second end of the upstream conduit and thesecond end of the downstream conduit, the bypass valve body defining abypass body bore extending from the second end of the upstream conduitto the second end of the downstream conduit, the bypass body boreintersecting the upstream bore and the downstream bore, the bypass bodybore defining a bypass body bore axis, the upstream bore, the downstreambore, and the bypass body bore defining a seamless bypass bore extendingfrom the inlet opening to the outlet opening; and wherein the monolithicbypass is substantially U-shaped.

Also disclosed is a valve assembly comprising a primary valve body, theprimary valve body defining an upstream end and a downstream enddisposed opposite from the upstream end, the primary valve body defininga primary outer surface and a primary inner surface disposed oppositefrom the primary inner surface, the primary inner surface defining aprimary bore extending from the upstream end to the downstream end, theprimary valve body defining an upstream boss bore and a downstream bossbore each extending through the primary valve body from the primaryouter surface to the primary inner surface, the upstream boss boreintersecting an upstream portion of the primary bore proximate to theupstream end, the downstream boss bore intersecting a downstream portionof the primary bore proximate to the downstream end; and a monolithicbypass, the monolithic bypass comprising an upstream conduit, theupstream conduit defining a first end and a second end, the upstreamconduit defining a seamless upstream bore extending from the first endto the second end, the upstream bore sealed in fluid communication withthe upstream boss bore at the first end; a downstream conduit, thedownstream conduit defining a first end and a second end, the downstreamconduit defining a seamless downstream bore extending from the first endto the second end, the downstream bore sealed in fluid communicationwith the downstream boss bore at the first end; and a bypass valve bodyseamlessly connected to the second end of the upstream conduit and thesecond end of the downstream conduit, the bypass valve body defining abypass body bore extending from the second end of the upstream conduitto the second end of the downstream conduit, the bypass body boreseamlessly intersecting the upstream bore and the downstream bore.

Also disclosed is a method for forming a monolithic bypass, the methodcomprising pouring a molten metal into a monolithic bypass mold cavityof a mold, the monolithic bypass mold cavity shaped complimentary to ashape of the monolithic bypass; forming the monolithic bypass, themonolithic bypass comprising a bypass valve body disposed between anupstream conduit and a downstream conduit, an inlet opening defined bythe upstream conduit, an outlet opening defined by the downstreamconduit, a bypass bore extending through the upstream conduit, thebypass valve body, and the downstream conduit from the inlet opening tothe outlet opening, the inlet opening and the outlet opening configuredto attach to a primary valve body, the monolithic bypass defining aU-shape, the monolithic bypass and the bypass bore each being seamless;and removing the monolithic bypass from the mold.

Various implementations described in the present disclosure may includeadditional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which may notnecessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one ofordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all suchsystems, methods, features, and advantages be included within thepresent disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims. Thefeatures and advantages of such implementations may be realized andobtained by means of the systems, methods, features particularly pointedout in the appended claims. These and other features will become morefully apparent from the following description and appended claims, ormay be learned by the practice of such exemplary implementations as setforth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and components of the following figures are illustrated toemphasize the general principles of the present disclosure. The drawingsare not necessarily drawn to scale. Corresponding features andcomponents throughout the figures may be designated by matchingreference characters for the sake of consistency and clarity.

FIG. 1 is top view of a typical valve assembly with a typical bypassassembly.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a valve body assembly comprising aprimary valve body and a monolithic bypass in a side-mount configurationin accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the valve body assembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the monolithic bypass of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the monolithic bypass of FIG. 2 attachedin a bottom-mount configuration to another aspect of the primary valvebody.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the valve body assembly of FIG. 5taken along line 6-6 shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the valve body assembly of FIG. 5taken along line 7-7 shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is exploded view of another aspect of the valve body assembly inaccordance with another aspect of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a valve assembly assembled on the valvebody assembly of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure can be understood more readily by reference tothe following detailed description, examples, drawings, and claims, andthe previous and following description. However, before the presentdevices, systems, and/or methods are disclosed and described, it is tobe understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specificdevices, systems, and/or methods disclosed unless otherwise specified,and, as such, can, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that theterminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularaspects only and is not intended to be limiting.

The following description is provided as an enabling teaching of thepresent devices, systems, and/or methods in its best, currently knownaspect. To this end, those skilled in the relevant art will recognizeand appreciate that many changes can be made to the various aspects ofthe present devices, systems, and/or methods described herein, whilestill obtaining the beneficial results of the present disclosure. Itwill also be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the presentdisclosure can be obtained by selecting some of the features of thepresent disclosure without utilizing other features. Accordingly, thosewho work in the art will recognize that many modifications andadaptations to the present disclosure are possible and can even bedesirable in certain circumstances and are a part of the presentdisclosure. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrativeof the principles of the present disclosure and not in limitationthereof.

As used throughout, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” includeplural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus,for example, reference to “an element” can include two or more suchelements unless the context indicates otherwise.

Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value,and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range isexpressed, another aspect includes from the one particular value and/orto the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed asapproximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understoodthat the particular value forms another aspect. It will be furtherunderstood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant bothin relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the otherendpoint.

For purposes of the current disclosure, a material property or dimensionmeasuring about X or substantially X on a particular measurement scalemeasures within a range between X plus an industry-standard uppertolerance for the specified measurement and X minus an industry-standardlower tolerance for the specified measurement. Because tolerances canvary between different materials, processes and between differentmodels, the tolerance for a particular measurement of a particularcomponent can fall within a range of tolerances.

As used herein, the terms “optional” or “optionally” mean that thesubsequently described event or circumstance can or cannot occur, andthat the description includes instances where said event or circumstanceoccurs and instances where it does not.

The word “or” as used herein means any one member of a particular listand also includes any combination of members of that list. Further, oneshould note that conditional language, such as, among others, “can,”“could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, orotherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intendedto convey that certain aspects include, while other aspects do notinclude, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditionallanguage is not generally intended to imply that features, elementsand/or steps are in any way required for one or more particular aspectsor that one or more particular aspects necessarily include logic fordeciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether thesefeatures, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed inany particular aspect.

Disclosed are components that can be used to perform the disclosedmethods and systems. These and other components are disclosed herein,and it is understood that when combinations, subsets, interactions,groups, etc. of these components are disclosed that while specificreference of each various individual and collective combinations andpermutation of these may not be explicitly disclosed, each isspecifically contemplated and described herein, for all methods andsystems. This applies to all aspects of this application including, butnot limited to, steps in disclosed methods. Thus, if there are a varietyof additional steps that can be performed it is understood that each ofthese additional steps can be performed with any specific aspect orcombination of aspects of the disclosed methods.

In one aspect, disclosed is a valve body assembly and associatedmethods, systems, devices, and various apparatus. The valve bodyassembly can comprise a primary valve body and a monolithic bypass. Itwould be understood by one of skill in the art that the disclosed valvebody assembly is described in but a few exemplary aspects among many. Noparticular terminology or description should be considered limiting onthe disclosure or the scope of any claims issuing therefrom.

An example of a typical valve assembly 100 comprising a typical primaryvalve 102 and a typical bypass assembly 103 is disclosed and describedin FIG. 1. The typical primary valve 102 is built on a typical valvebody 107. The typical valve body 107 comprises a typical body portion104 positioned between a first flange 105 a and a second flange 105 b.The typical bypass assembly 103 comprises a pair of nipples 106 a,b, abypass valve 108, and a pair of elbows 110 a,b connected by a series offlanged connections 112 a,b,c,d. The typical bypass assembly 103 canfurther comprise a spacer 114 installed between flanges of the flangedconnection 112 c. Each of the nipples 106 a,b can define a threadedportion (not shown) which can each threadedly engage a threaded hole(not shown) defined by the typical body portion 104 in order to attachthe typical bypass assembly 103 to the typical valve body 107.Optionally, the nipples 106 a,b of the typical bypass assembly 103 canbe attached to the typical body portion 104 of the typical valve body107 by a pair of weld seams (not shown), such as butt welds, filletwelds, socket welds, or seal welds.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a valve body assembly 200 which cancomprise a primary valve body 210 and a monolithic bypass 250 inaccordance with one aspect of the present disclosure. The primary valvebody 210 can define a primary outer surface 218 and a primary innersurface 220 disposed opposite from the primary outer surface 218. Theprimary valve body 210 can define an upstream end 214 a and a downstreamend 214 b disposed opposite from the upstream end 214 a. A primaryupstream flange 216 a can be disposed at the upstream end 214 a, and aprimary downstream flange 216 b can be disposed at the downstream end214 b. Each primary flange 216 a,b, can define a plurality of fastenerholes 217 configured to connect each primary flange 216 a,b, for exampleand without limitation, to another flange or gland of a pipe system (notshown). The primary inner surface 220 can define a primary bore 222extending from the upstream end 214 a to the downstream end 214 b. Theprimary bore 222 can define a primary bore axis 201. The primary valvebody 210 can define a middle portion 212 positioned between the primaryupstream flange 216 a and the primary downstream flange 216 b. Theprimary valve body 210 can also define a primary bonnet mounting portion224 and a primary bonnet mounting surface 226.

The monolithic bypass 250 can define a bypass outer surface 268 and abypass inner surface 270 disposed opposite from the bypass outer surface268. The monolithic bypass 250 can comprise an upstream conduit 254 aand a downstream conduit 254 b which can each be attached to the middleportion 212 of the primary valve body 210 by a plurality of fasteners258. The monolithic bypass 250 can further comprise a bypass valve body252 disposed between the upstream conduit 254 a and the downstreamconduit 254 b. The upstream conduit 254 a, the bypass valve body 252,and the downstream conduit 254 b can define a U-shape. The bypass valvebody 252 can define a bypass bonnet mounting portion 264 and a bypassbonnet mounting surface 266. The bypass bonnet mounting portion 264 candefine a plurality of fastener holes 277 configured to attach a bypassbonnet 952 (shown in FIG. 9) to the bypass bonnet mounting portion 264.The bypass inner surface 270 can define a bypass valve cavity 272extending inwards from the bypass bonnet mounting portion 264. Anintersection of the bypass valve cavity 272 and the bypass bonnetmounting portion 264 can define a bypass cavity opening 271.

In other aspects, the monolithic bypass 250 may only comprise the bypassvalve body 252 and a single conduit (not shown). In such applications,the bypass valve body 252 can be attached directly to the middle portion212 of the primary valve body 210 proximate either the upstream end 214a or the downstream end 214 b, and the single conduit can define aJ-shape extending from the bypass valve body 252 to connect with themiddle portion 212 of the primary valve body 210 at the opposite end 214a,b from the bypass valve body 252. In these aspects, the J-shape of thesingle conduit and the bypass valve body 252 can define the U-shape ofthe monolithic bypass 250.

In the aspect shown, the monolithic bypass 250 is installed in aside-mount configuration in which the monolithic bypass 250 extendsradially outwards from a side of the primary valve body 210 with respectto the primary bore axis 201.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the valve body assembly 200 of FIG. 2.As shown, the primary outer surface 218 of the primary valve body 210can define an upstream boss 314 a and a downstream boss 314 b. Theupstream boss 314 a can be disposed on the middle portion 212 proximatethe upstream end 214 a, and the downstream boss 314 b can be disposed onthe middle portion 212 proximate the downstream end 214 b. The upstreamboss 314 a can define an upstream boss face surface 316 a, and thedownstream boss 314 b can define a downstream boss face surface 316 b.In the present aspect, the upstream boss face surface 316 a and thedownstream boss face surface 316 b can be substantially coplanar. Inother aspects, the upstream boss face surfaces 316 a can be offset fromthe downstream boss face surface 316 b such that the boss face surfaces316 a,b are parallel but not coplanar. In other aspects, the upstreamboss face surface 316 a can be angled relative to the downstream bossface surface 316 b such that the boss face surfaces 316 a,b arenon-parallel. In other aspects, the upstream boss face surface 316 a canbe both offset and angled relative to the downstream boss face surface316 b.

In the present aspect, the upstream boss 314 a defines a plurality offastener holes 318 defined into the upstream boss face surface 316 a,and the downstream boss 314 b defines another plurality of fastenerholes 318 defined into the downstream boss face surface 316 b. In thepresent aspect, the fastener holes 318 can each be threaded blind holesconfigured to receive a fastener of the pluralities of fasteners 258.The fasteners 258 can be threaded fasteners such as bolts, screws,studs, or any other threaded fasteners. In the present aspect, thefastener holes 318 do not extend through the primary valve body 210 tothe primary inner surface 220.

The upstream boss 314 a can further define an upstream boss bore 312 aextending from the primary outer surface 218 to the primary innersurface 220. The upstream boss bore 312 a can intersect an upstream boreportion 322 of the primary bore 222. The downstream boss 314 b canfurther define a downstream boss bore 312 b extending from the primaryouter surface 218 to the primary inner surface 220. The downstream bossbore 312 b can intersect a downstream bore portion 622 (shown in FIG. 6)of the primary bore 222. The upstream boss bore 312 a and the downstreamboss bore 312 b can each be aligned substantially perpendicular to theprimary bore 222, and the first upstream boss bore 312 a and the firstdownstream boss bore 312 b can be substantially parallel to each other.In other aspects, the upstream boss bore 312 a can be angled relative tothe downstream boss bore 312 b.

The upstream conduit 254 a can define a first end 354 a and a second end362 a disposed opposite from the first end 354 a. The downstream conduit254 b can define a first end 354 b and a second end 362 b disposedopposite from the first end 354 b. The upstream conduit 254 a can beseamlessly attached to the bypass valve body 252 at the second end 362a, and the downstream conduit 254 b can be seamlessly attached to thebypass valve body 252 at the second end 362 b. An upstream conduitflange 356 a can be disposed at the first end 354 a, and a downstreamconduit flange 356 b can be disposed at the first end 354 b. Theupstream conduit flange 356 a can be configured to attach to theupstream boss 314 a, and the downstream conduit flange 356 b can beconfigured to attach to the downstream boss 314 b.

The conduit flanges 356 a,b can each define a plurality of fastenerholes 358 which can each align with a different fastener hole of thepluralities of fastener holes 318 defined by the bosses 314 a,b, inorder to each receive a different one of the fasteners of thepluralities of fasteners 258. An O-ring 360 can be positioned betweenthe upstream boss face surface 316 a and the upstream conduit flange 356a, and another O-ring 360 can be positioned between the downstream bossface surface 316 b and the downstream conduit flange 356 b. The O-rings360 can each form a seal between the respective bosses 314 a,b andconduit flanges 356 a,b.

In the present aspect, the bosses 314 a,b can each define an O-ringgroove 306 a,b, respectively; however in other aspects, the bosses 314a,b may not define O-ring grooves, as shown, for example, by a pair ofsecond bosses 516 a,b in FIG. 6. The O-ring grooves 306 a,b can bedefined extending into respective bosses 314 a,b below the respectiveboss face surfaces 316 a,b. The O-ring grooves 306 a,b can be sized andshaped complimentary to the O-rings 360, and the O-ring grooves 306 a,bcan each be configured to receive a one of the O-rings 360. In otheraspects, the boss face surfaces 316 a,b may not define the O-ringgrooves 306 a,b, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the monolithic bypass 250 facing the first ends354 a,b of the upstream and downstream conduits 254 a,b. The upstreamconduit flange 356 a can define an upstream flange face surface 454 a,and the downstream conduit flange 356 b can define a downstream flangeface surface 454 b. The flange face surfaces 454 a,b can each besubstantially planar. In the present aspect, the flange face surfaces454 a,b can be substantially coplanar; however, in other aspects, theupstream flange face surface 454 a can be angled, offset, or both angledand offset relative to the downstream flange face surface 454 b.

The bypass inner surface 270 of the monolithic bypass 250 can define abypass bore 450 extending from the first end 354 a of the upstreamconduit 254 a to the first end 354 b of the downstream conduit 254 b.The bypass bore 450 can comprise an upstream bore 452 a extending fromthe first end 354 a to the second end 362 a of the upstream conduit 254a where the upstream conduit 254 a can be seamlessly attached to anupstream body end 462 a of the bypass valve body 252. An intersectionbetween the upstream bore 452 a and the upstream flange face surface 454a can define an inlet opening 414 a. The bypass bore 450 can alsocomprise a downstream bore 452 b extending from the first end 354 b tothe second end 362 b of the downstream conduit 254 b where thedownstream conduit 254 b can be seamlessly attached to a downstream bodyend 462 b of the bypass valve body 252. An intersection between thedownstream bore 452 b and the downstream flange face surface 365 b candefine an outlet opening 414 b.

The conduit flanges 356 a,b can each define an O-ring groove 456 a,b,respectively. The O-ring grooves 456 a,b can be defined extending intothe respective conduit flanges 356 a,b below the respective flange facesurfaces 454 a,b. The O-ring grooves 456 a,b can be sized and shapedcomplimentary to the O-rings 360, and the O-ring grooves 456 a,b caneach be configured to receive a one of the O-rings 360. In the presentaspect, the O-ring grooves 456 a,b can each be aligned with a one of theO-ring grooves 306 a,b (shown in FIG. 3). The O-ring grooves 456 a,b andthe O-ring grooves 306 a,b can respectively cooperate to provideclearance for a one of the O-rings 360 to deform when the respectiveflange face surfaces 454 a,b are positioned in facing contact with therespective boss face surfaces 316 a,b. In other aspects, the bosses 314a,b may not define the O-ring grooves 306 a,b, and the O-ring grooves456 a,b can independently capture and deform the O-rings 360 a,b,respectively. In other aspects, the conduit flanges 356 a,b can eachdefine other features configured to effect a seal between the conduitflanges 356 a,b and the bosses 314 a,b, respectively. For example andwithout limitations, the conduit flanges 356 a,b and bosses 314 a,b canform a raised-face joint, a ring-type joint, a tongue-and-groove joint,a male-and-female joint, or any other type of joint. In other aspects, adifferent sealing member other than the O-rings 360 can be used, such asa gasket, a sealing material such as Room Temperature Vulcanizing (RTV)silicone, a ring, or any other type of suitable sealing member.

With the monolithic bypass 250 installed on the primary valve body 210,the inlet opening 414 a can align with the upstream boss bore 312 a, andthe outlet opening 414 b can align with the downstream boss bore 312 b.The upstream bore 452 a can be sealed in fluid communication with theupstream boss bore 312 a, and thereby the upstream bore portion 322 ofthe primary bore 222. The downstream bore 452 b can be sealed in fluidcommunication with the downstream boss bore 312 b, and thereby thedownstream bore portion 622 (shown in FIG. 6) of the primary bore 222.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the monolithic bypass 250 of FIG. 2attached in a bottom-mount configuration to another aspect of theprimary valve body 210. In the present aspect, the primary valve body210 can be a modular valve body 510 comprising multiple pairs of bosses.The modular valve body 510 can comprise a first upstream boss 514 a anda first downstream boss 514 b disposed on a first side 501 of the middleportion 212 of the modular valve body 510. The modular valve body 510can comprise a second upstream boss 516 a and a second downstream boss516 b disposed at a bottom 502 of the modular valve body 510, oppositefrom the primary bonnet mounting portion 224. The modular valve body canfurther comprise a third upstream boss (not shown) and a thirddownstream boss (not shown) disposed on a second side 503 of the modularvalve body 510, opposite from the first side 501. The third bosses canbe substantially the same as the first bosses 514 a,b. The first,second, and third pairs of bosses can be circumferentially offset aboutthe modular valve body 510 with respect to the primary bore axis 201. Inthe present aspect, the second bosses 516 a,b, can be offset at a90-degree angle from each of the first bosses 514 a,b and the thirdbosses (not shown). In other aspects, the modular valve body 510 cancomprise greater or fewer pairs of bosses which can be arranged in anyconfiguration.

The multiple pairs of bosses allow the monolithic bypass 250 to beinstalled on the first side 501, the bottom 502, or the second side 503of the modular valve body 510. In the present aspect, the first bosses514 a,b and the third bosses (not shown) can be unfinished bosses whichdo not define fastener holes or boss bores. The second bosses 516 a,bcan be finished bosses which can be substantially the same as the bosses314 a,b of FIG. 3, with the exception that the second bosses 516 a,b donot define the O-ring grooves 306 a,b in the current aspect. During themanufacturing process, all of the bosses of the modular valve body 510can initially be unfinished bosses, and the first, second, or third pairof bosses can be machined, drilled, tapped, or otherwise modified toconvert a pair of bosses to finished bosses in order to configure thevalve body assembly 200 according to a customer's or end user'sspecifications.

In some aspects, unused bosses can be partially-finished to facilitatereconfiguration of the modular valve body 510 with minimal tooling. Forexample and without limitations, unused bosses can define completedfastener holes, identical to fastener holes 318, and a partiallycompleted blind boss bore which can be similar to the boss bores 312 a,bwith the exception that the blind boss bore does not penetrate throughto the primary inner surface 220 of the primary bore 222.Partially-finished bosses can be converted to finished bosses by simplyfinish drilling the blind boss bore through to intersect the primarybore 222. The finish drilling operation can be completed with simpleequipment such as a drill press or a hand drill, and the blind boss borecan act as a pilot hole for finish drilling.

In some other applications, such as when an end user desires the abilityto stock reconfigurable spare valve body assemblies, multiple pairs orall of the pairs of bosses can be finished bosses, and any unused bosseswithout an attached monolithic bypass 250 or other mounted equipment canbe sealed, such as with a blind flange or plug. In applications in whichthe unused boss bores are to be sealed with plugs, the boss bores can bethreaded, and the plugs can be threadedly engaged with the boss bores.Unused bosses can also be used to install equipment such as injectionequipment, corrosion coupons, sampling equipment, or measuring equipmentfor pressure, temperature, pH, or any other variable.

The terms “upstream,” “downstream,” “inlet,” and “outlet” are merelyexemplary and should not be viewed as limiting. In the presentapplication, the primary valve body 210, the modular valve body 510, andthe monolithic bypass 250 can each be bi-directional and capable offluid flow in either direction. Similarly, the monolithic bypass 250 canbe reversed in orientation with respect to the primary valve body 210 ormodular valve body 510. For example and without limitation, the upstreamconduit flange 356 a can be attached to the second downstream boss 516b, and the downstream conduit flange 356 b can be attached to the secondupstream boss 516 a, such as to reverse the orientation of the bypassbonnet mounting portion 264 with respect to the modular valve body 510.

FIG. 5 also shows that the bypass valve cavity 272 can extend inwardsfrom the bypass bonnet mounting portion 264 to intersect the bypass bore450 defined by the monolithic bypass 250. Similarly, the primary innersurface 220 can define a primary valve cavity 572 extending inwards fromthe primary bonnet mounting portion 224. An intersection between theprimary bonnet mounting portion 224 and the primary valve cavity 572 candefine a primary cavity opening 571. The primary valve cavity 572 canextend inwards to intersect the primary bore 222, as further shown inFIGS. 6 and 7. The primary bonnet mounting portion 224 can define aplurality of fastener holes 524. The plurality of fastener holes 526 canbe configured to attach a primary bonnet 902 (shown in FIG. 9) to theprimary bonnet mounting portion 224.

FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the valve body assembly of 200 takenalong the line 6-6 shown in FIG. 5. The primary inner surface 220 candefine a primary seat portion 610 disposed in an intersection of theprimary valve cavity 572 and the primary bore 222, and the primary seatportion 610 can partition the primary bore 222 into the upstream boreportion 322 and the downstream bore portion 622. The upstream boreportion 322 can extend between the upstream end 214 a and the primaryseat portion 610, and the downstream bore portion 622 can extend betweenthe downstream end 214 b and the primary seat portion 610. The primaryseat portion 610 can be configured to seal against a primary valvemember (not shown), such as a primary gate in aspects wherein the valvebody assembly 200 is configured as a gate valve, which can be configuredto block flow between the upstream bore portion 322 and the downstreambore portion 622 of the primary bore 222. In the present aspect, theprimary seat portion 610 can define an integral seat; however, in otheraspects, separate seat components configured to seal against the primaryvalve member, such as seat rings (not shown), can be installed in theprimary seat portion 610. The primary inner surface 220 can furtherdefine a pair of primary guide grooves 602,702 (primary guide groove 702shown in FIG. 7) configured to vertically guide the primary valve memberabout and between a primary open position in which the primary bore 222is unobstructed and a primary closed position in which the primary bore222 is completely sealed.

In the present aspect, the primary valve body 210 and the bypass valvebody 252 can both be configured as gate valve bodies. The bypass innersurface 270 can define a bypass seat portion 660 disposed in anintersection of the bypass valve cavity 272 and the bypass bore 450. Abypass body bore 650 of the bypass bore 450 can extend from the upstreambody end 462 a to the downstream body end 462 b, and the bypass seatportion 660 can be defined within the bypass body bore 650. The bypassseat portion 660 can be configured to seal against a bypass valve member(not shown), such as a bypass gate in aspects wherein the valve bodyassembly 200 comprises a bypass valve configured as a gate valve, whichcan block flow between the upstream bore 452 a and the downstream bore452 b of the bypass bore 450. In the present aspect, the bypass seatportion 660 can define an integral seat; however, in other aspects,separate seat components configured to seal against the bypass valvemember, such as seat rings (not shown), can be installed in the bypassseat portion 660. The bypass inner surface 270 can further define a pairof bypass guide grooves 652 configured to guide the bypass valve memberabout and between a bypass open position in which the bypass bore 450 isunobstructed and a bypass closed position in which the bypass bore 450is completely sealed. In other aspects, either or both of the primaryvalve body 210 and the bypass valve body 252 can be configured as adifferent type of valve such as a ball valve, globe valve, butterflyvalve, or any other suitable type of valve.

As shown, the monolithic bypass 250 is completely seamless such thatthere are no welds, weld seams, mechanical connections, joints, or anyother type of connections between any portions of the monolithic bypass250. The bypass outer surface 268 and the bypass inner surface 270 eachextend unbroken between the inlet opening 414 a, the outlet opening 414b, and the bypass cavity opening 271 (shown in FIG. 5). The bypass bore450 can define a continuous flow of homogeneous material from the inletopening 414 a to the outlet opening 414 b. The upstream body end 462 aof the bypass valve body 252 is seamlessly integrated with the secondend 362 a of the upstream conduit 254 a, and the downstream body end 462b is seamlessly integrated with the second end 362 b of the downstreamconduit 254 b. The bypass body bore 650, the upstream bore 452 a, andthe downstream bore 452 b can comprise the bypass bore 450 which can beseamless. The primary valve body 210 can also be completely seamless.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-section of the valve body assembly 200 taken fromthe line 7-7 shown in FIG. 5. As shown, the second upstream boss 516 acan define an upstream boss bore 712 a, and the second downstream boss516 b can define a downstream boss bore 712 b. The boss bores 712 a,bcan be similar to the boss bores 312 a,b of the bosses 314 a,b of FIG.3. Each of the boss bores 712 a,b can extend through the primary valvebody 210 from the primary outer surface 218 to the primary inner surface220. The upstream boss bore 712 a can intersect the upstream boreportion 322 of the primary bore 222, and the downstream boss bore 712 bcan intersect the downstream bore portion 622. The second upstream boss516 a can define an upstream boss face surface 716 a which can besimilar to the upstream boss face surface 316 a of FIG. 3; and thesecond downstream boss 516 b can define a downstream boss surface 716 bwhich can be similar to the downstream boss face surface 316 b of FIG.3. In the present aspect, the boss bores 712 a,b can be defined normalto the respective boss face surfaces 716 a,b; however, in other aspects,the boss bores 712 a,b can be defined at a non-perpendicular angle tothe respective boss face surfaces 716 a,b.

The upstream boss face surface 716 a can be positioned in facing contactwith the upstream flange face surface 454 a, and the downstream bosssurface 716 b can be positioned in facing contact with the downstreamflange face surface 454 b. O-rings 360 can be disposed between each ofthe second bosses 516 a,b and the conduit flanges 356 a,b, respectively,to effect a seal. The seals can seal the boss bores 712 a,b in fluidcommunication with the respective bores 452 a,b.

In the present aspect, the upstream conduit 254 a can define a linearportion 752 a and a transition portion 753 a, and the downstream conduit254 b can define a linear portion 752 b and a transition portion 753 b.The linear portions 752 a,b can be defined between the respectiveconduit flanges 356 a,b and the respective transition portions 753 a,b.The transition portions 753 a,b can each be defined between therespective linear portion 752 a,b and the bypass body bore 650 definedby the bypass valve body 252. In the present aspect, the transitionportions 753 a,b can be curved portions of the respective conduits 254a,b; however, in other aspects, the transition portions 753 a,b can beangled between the linear portions 752 a,b and the bypass body bore 650.In other aspects, the conduits 254 a,b may not define the transitionportions 753 a,b, and the bores 452 a,b can intersect the bypass bodybore 650 at an angle as demonstrated by the valve body assembly 200aspect of FIG. 8.

A portion of the upstream bore 452 a defined by the linear portion 752 acan define an upstream bore axis 754 a, and a portion of the downstreambore 452 b defined by the linear portion 752 b can define a downstreambore axis 754 b. In the present aspect, the upstream bore 452 a and theupstream boss bore 712 a can be coaxial with respect to the upstreambore axis 754 a, and the downstream bore 452 b and the downstream bossbore 712 b can be coaxial with respect to the downstream bore axis 754b. In other aspects, the upstream bore 452 a can be angled with respectto the upstream boss bore 712 a, and the downstream bore 452 b can beangled with respect to the downstream boss bore 712 b.

The bypass body bore 650 can define a bypass body bore axis 701. Anintersection between the upstream bore axis 754 a and the bypass bodybore axis 701 can define an upstream angle A₁, and an intersectionbetween the downstream bore axis 754 b and the bypass body bore axis 701can define a downstream angle A₂. In the present aspect, each of thebore axes 754 a,b can be substantially perpendicular to the bypass bodybore axis 701, and the angles A₁,A₂ can equal approximately 90 degrees.The bypass body bore axis 701 can be substantially parallel to theprimary bore axis 201. The bypass body bore axis 701 can besubstantially parallel to the upstream flange face surface 454 a and thedownstream flange face surface 454 b. The upstream bore 452 a of thelinear portion 752 a and the downstream bore 452 b of the linear portion752 b can extend radially outward from the bypass body bore axis 701. Inother aspects, the angles A₁,A₂ can define an angle between 90 and 135degrees which can improve fluid flow characteristics through themonolithic bypass 250. In such aspects, the liner portions 752 a,b canalso extend axially with respect to the bypass body bore axis 701.

In the present aspect, the inlet opening 414 a and the outlet opening414 b can be disposed radially outward from the bypass body bore 650relative to the bypass body bore axis 701. In the present aspect, thebypass body bore axis 701 may not extend through the inlet opening 414 aor the outlet opening 414 b. In other aspects, the bypass body bore axis701 can extend through a one of either the inlet opening 414 a or theoutlet opening 414 b. In the present aspect, the upstream bore axis 754a and the downstream bore axis 754 b can be substantially parallel butare not coaxial. The upstream bore axis 754 a can be offset from thedownstream bore axis 754 b such that the upstream bore axis 754 a doesnot extend through the outlet opening 414 b, and the downstream boreaxis 754 b does not extend through the inlet opening 414 a.

FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of another aspect of the valve bodyassembly 200 in a bottom-mount configuration. In the present aspect, theupstream boss 314 a and the downstream boss 314 b can respectivelydefine a rectangular upstream boss bore 812 a and a rectangulardownstream boss bore 812 b. The rectangular upstream boss bore 812 a candefine a width W₁ measured parallel to the primary bore axis 201 and aheight H₁ measured perpendicular to the width W₁. The rectangulardownstream boss bore 812 b can define a width W₂ measured parallel tothe primary bore axis 201 and a height H₂ measured perpendicular to thewidth W₂. In the present aspect, the height H₁ can be equal to theheight H₂, and the width W₁ can be equal to the width W₂. In the currentaspect, the bosses 314 a,b are positioned at a bottom 502 of the primaryvalve body 210. In other aspects, the bosses 314 a,b can be positionedon the first side 501 or the second side 503 of the primary valve body210. In other aspects, the primary valve body 210 can also be configuredas a modular valve body 510 comprising multiple pairs of bosses 314 withrectangular boss bores 812 distributed circumferentially around theprimary valve body 210 with respect to the primary bore axis 201.

With circular-shaped boss bores, such as the boss bores 312 a,b of FIG.3, if it is desired to increase a maximum flow rate through themonolithic bypass 250 for a particular application requiring higher flowrates, a diameter D (not shown) of the boss bores is typically increasedto accommodate higher flow rates. Beyond a certain point, increasing thediameter D requires increasing a length L₁, measured along the primarybore axis 201 between the upstream end 214 a and the downstream end 214b of the primary valve body 210, in order to accommodate the largerdiameter D of the boss bores 312 a,b. With widths W₁,W₂ of equal size tothe diameter D, the rectangular boss bores 812 a,b can provide anincreased maximum flow rate compared to the circular-shaped boss bore byincreasing the heights H₁,H₂ to provide an increased cross-sectionalarea over the circular shaped boss bore. Increasing the heights H₁,H₂does not require the length L₁ of the primary valve body 210 to beincreased. In other aspects, the boss bores can define an oval shape, asquare shape, an elliptical shape, or any other shape configured toincrease the maximum flow rate through the monolithic bypass 250 withoutincreasing the length L₁ of the primary valve body 210.

In the present aspect, the bosses 314 a,b, the boss face surfaces 316a,b, the O-rings 360 and the conduit flanges 356 a,b can each be shapedcomplimentary to the rectangular boss bores 812 a,b. The upstreamconduit 254 a and the downstream conduit 254 b can each taper extendingaway from the respective conduit flanges 356 a,b in order to provide atransition from the rectangular shape of the rectangular boss bores 812a,b to the substantially circular shape of the bypass body bore 650(shown in FIG. 6) of the bypass valve body 252. In other aspects, thebypass valve body 252 can define a rectangular-shaped bypass body bore(not shown).

The bosses 314 a,b can each define a substantially rectangular O-ringgroove 806 a,b. In some aspects, the conduit flanges 356 a,b can alsodefine substantially rectangular O-ring grooves (not shown). The O-ringgrooves 806 a,b can be defined extending into the respective bosses 314a,b below the respective boss face surfaces 316 a,b. The O-ring grooves806 a,b can be sized and shaped complimentary to the substantiallyrectangular O-rings 360, and the O-ring grooves 806 a,b can each beconfigured to receive a one of the O-rings 360. In other aspects, thebosses 314 a,b may not define the O-ring grooves 806 a,b.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a valve assembly 900 comprising aprimary valve 910 and a bypass valve 960. The valve assembly 900 can beassembled on the valve body assembly 200 of FIG. 2. The primary valve910 can be assembled on the primary valve body 210 of the valve bodyassembly 200, and the bypass valve 960 can be assembled on the bypassvalve body 252 of the monolithic bypass 250.

The primary valve 910 can comprise the primary bonnet 902, a primarystuffing box 904, a primary stem 906, a primary operating nut 908, andthe primary valve member (not shown) built upon the primary valve body210. In the aspect shown, the primary valve member is a primary gate andthe primary valve 910 is thereby configured as a gate valve. The primarybonnet 902 can be fastened to the primary bonnet mounting portion 224 ofthe primary valve body 210. The primary stuffing box 904 can be fastenedatop the primary bonnet 902 with the primary stem 906 extending throughan orifice in the primary stuffing box 904. The primary operating nut908 can be connected to and rotationally fixed to the primary stem 906.The primary bonnet 902 and the primary stuffing box 904 can beconfigured to seal the primary valve cavity 572 (shown in FIG. 5) and toseal against the primary stem 906.

The bypass valve 960 can comprise the bypass bonnet 952, a bypassstuffing box 954, a bypass stem 956, a bypass operating nut 958, and thebypass valve member (not shown) built upon the bypass valve body 252 ofthe monolithic bypass 250. In the aspect shown, the bypass valve memberis a bypass gate and the bypass valve 960 is thereby configured as agate valve. The bypass bonnet 952 can be fastened to the bypass bonnetmounting portion 264 of the bypass valve body 252. The bypass stuffingbox 954 can be fastened atop the bypass bonnet 952 with the bypass stem956 extending through an orifice in the bypass stuffing box 954. Thebypass operating nut 958 can be connected to and rotationally fixed tothe bypass stem 956. The bypass bonnet 952 and the bypass stuffing box954 can be configured to seal the bypass valve cavity 262 (shown in FIG.2) and to seal against the bypass stem 956.

In the aspect shown in FIG. 9, the primary valve 910 and the bypassvalve 960 can each be configured as gate valves, and the primary valvemember and the bypass valve member can be a primary gate and a bypassgate, respectively. By turning the respective stems 906, 956, theprimary valve 910 and the bypass valve 960 can each be selectivelyoperated about and between an open position and a closed position. Withthe primary valve 910 in the closed position, the primary gate sealsagainst the primary seat portion 610, blocking the primary bore 222 andisolating the upstream bore portion 322 from the downstream bore portion622. With the primary valve 910 in the open position, the primary gateis positioned within the primary valve cavity 572 and the primary bonnet902 which renders the primary bore 222 open and unobstructed. In theopen position, the upstream bore portion 322 and the downstream boreportion 622 are in direct fluid communication with one another.

With the bypass valve 960 in the closed position, the bypass gate sealsagainst the bypass seat portion 660 (shown in FIG. 6), blocking thebypass bore 450 and isolating the upstream bore 452 a from thedownstream bore 452 b. With the bypass valve 960 in the open position,the bypass gate is positioned within the bypass valve cavity 272 and thebypass bonnet 952 which renders the bypass bore 450 open andunobstructed. In the open position, the upstream bore 452 a and thedownstream bore 452 b are in direct fluid communication with oneanother.

In operation, the primary valve 910 and the bypass valve 960 can both bein the closed position to prevent the travel of a fluid from theupstream bore portion 322 to the downstream bore portion 622 of theprimary bore 222. If the bypass valve 960 is in the open position whilethe primary valve 910 is in the closed position, the upstream boreportion 322 and the downstream bore portion 622 are in indirect fluidcommunication through the bypass bore 450, and the fluid can travel fromthe upstream end 214 a to the downstream end 214 b.

In typical operation, the bypass valve 960 remains in the closedposition. If the primary valve 910 is selectively operated and placed inthe closed position, no fluids can pass from the upstream end 214 a tothe downstream end 214 b. If a significant pressure differentialdevelops between the upstream bore portion 322 and the downstream boreportion 622, an unbalanced force can be exerted on the primary gatewhich can prevent the primary valve 910 from being operated to the openposition due to a force of friction, caused by the unbalanced force,acting on the primary gate.

In this situation, the bypass valve 960 can be selectively operated tothe open position which allows the fluid to bypass the primary gate. Thebypass valve 960 and the bypass gate are also affected by the unbalancedforce; however, the bypass bore 450 is smaller in diameter than theprimary bore 222 which reduces the effect of the unbalanced force due tothe bypass bore 450 defining a smaller cross-sectional area. After aperiod of time, the pressure differential can be reduced or eliminatedwhich reduces or eliminates the unbalanced force and the friction forceacting on the primary gate, thereby allowing the primary valve 910 to beselectively operated to the open position. After operating the primaryvalve 910 to the open position, the bypass valve 960 is typicallyoperated to the closed position.

Each of the primary valve body 210 and the monolithic bypass 250 can bea monolithic casting. Each monolithic casting can be formed from asingle material in a single casting operation. The upstream conduit 254a and the downstream conduit 254 b can be seamlessly integrated with thebypass valve body 252 to form the monolithic bypass 250 without anywelds or mechanical connections such as threading, flanges, fasteners,interference fits, adhesives, brazing, soldering, or other mechanicalmethods of connection. The primary valve body 210 and the monolithicbypass 250 can each be cast from a single mold. The mold can be formedthrough an additive manufacturing process, such as a 3D sand printingprocess. Additive manufacturing processes are further described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/346,047, filed Nov. 8, 2016, which ishereby incorporated by reference herein.

Additive manufacturing refers to a process in which a 3D object can beformed by depositing or bonding successive layers of material to theprevious layers of material. Additive manufacturing can comprisedifferent types of processes such as a deposition, light polymerization,powder bed, or lamination process. For example, in a deposition process,material can be selectively deposited according to a cross-section ofthe 3D object corresponding to that layer. The material can be depositedthrough methods such as extruding a material in a molten state which canfuse to the previous layer or depositing material in the form of a wireor granule while applying an energy source such as an electrical currentor laser to fuse the material to the previous layer. The material isonly applied to areas corresponding to the cross-section of the layer.Deposition processes comprise, but are not limited to, fused depositionmodeling, robocasting, directed energy deposition, electron beamfreeform fabrication, 3D printer extrusion, and material jet printing.

By contrast, in a powder bed process, a layer of loose granular materialcan be evenly applied in a bed or a job box, and areas of the layercorresponding to the cross-section of the 3D object for that layer canbe selectively treated to fuse or bind the material together. In somepowder bed processes, a glue or binder can be selectively sprayed on thelayer of granular material which binds the loose granular materialtogether to form the cross-section. In some powder bed processes, anenergy source such as a laser, electron beam, or electrical current canselectively be applied to melt and sinter the granular materialcorresponding to the cross-section of the 3D object. Successive layersare sintered or bound to previous layers, and the remaining loosegranular material can be removed leaving the 3D object behind uponcompletion. Powder bed processes comprise, but are not limited to,binder jetting, 3D sand printing, direct metal laser sintering, electronbeam melting, selective heat sintering, and selective laser melting.

Light polymerization processes can be similar to powder bed processeswith the difference being that the material is often deposited as aliquid, such as a polymer resin in a bath or a vat instead of a job box.The material can be selectively treated with an energy source such as alight source, heat source, or laser corresponding to the cross-sectionfor the layer. The energy source can cause the material to solidify,thereby forming the cross-section of the 3D object for the layer. Lightpolymerization processes can comprise, but are not limited to,stereolithography and digital light processing.

Lamination processes supply material in the form of a foil or a film,often fed from a roll, which can be treated with an adhesive or bondedby other means. The material is fed over a platform upon which the 3Dobject is built. A mechanical means, such as a blade, or an energysource, such as a laser, cuts out the first layer corresponding to thefirst cross-section of the 3D model from the material and deposits thematerial on the platform. The platform can then lower and a new portionof the foil or film is fed over the platform, and a successive layer iscut out corresponding to a second cross-section of the 3D object. Thesuccessive layer can then be bonded to the previous layer by theadhesive. Lamination processes can comprise, but are not limited to,laminated object manufacturing and ultrasonic consolidation.

When forming the mold in the 3D sand printing process, a first arm of a3D sand printing machine can deposit a thin, substantially planar layerof sand in the job box. The layer of sand can have a layer thickness. Asecond arm can traverse over the layer of sand and selectively spray abinder on the layer of sand corresponding to the cross-section of the 3Dobject for a first layer. Areas of the sand sprayed by the binder cancement together while areas not sprayed by the binder remain loose andgranular. The layer can be selectively sprayed with the binder on thelayer of sand corresponding to the cross-section of the mold for thefirst layer at a first mold height. The cross-sections of the mold canbe formed complimentary to the monolithic bypass 250 such that solidportions of the monolithic bypass 250, such as the conduit flanges 356a,b, can correspond to voids in the mold, and openings or cavities inthe monolithic bypass 250, such as the bypass valve cavity 272, cancorrespond to solid portions of the mold. Similarly, cross-sections ofanother mold can be formed complimentary to the primary valve body 210in order to produce a mold cavity shaped complimentary to the primaryvalve body 210.

The job box can then lower by an incremental distance equal to the layerthickness, and the first arm can then deposit a successive planar layerof sand. The second arm can then traverse over the successive layer ofsand, and can selectively spray the binder on the successive layer ofsand corresponding to a cross-section of the mold of a second layer at asecond mold height which can cement the sprayed areas and can bond thesprayed areas of the second layer to the sprayed areas of the firstlayer. The process can repeat alternatively depositing the substantiallyplanar layers of sand and then selectively spraying the binder on thelayer of sand until the mold has reached its full height. The mold canbe built up from the bottom layer by layer until the mold is fullyformed.

At this time, the mold has been formed by the sand which has beentreated by the binder while untreated sand remains loose and granularand can be shaken, vacuumed, blown, or brushed away from the mold. Insome aspects, the mold can comprise multiple subcomponents which can beglued or mechanically connected to assemble the mold. The mold candefine vents to allow air to escape when molten material is poured intothe mold. The mold can define a monolithic bypass mold cavity formedcomplimentary to a shape of the monolithic bypass 250. In some aspects,the mold can comprise cores formed complimentary to any one of bypassbore 450 or the bypass valve cavity 272.

Upon assembling the mold, a molten material, such as molten metal, canbe poured into the mold. After the molten material has solidified, themonolithic bypass 250 can be removed from the mold. Because the mold ismade of sand, it can be destroyed to remove the monolithic bypass 250from the mold, and portions of the mold within the bypass bore 450 andthe bypass valve cavity 272 can be broken up to be removed. The mold canbe broken up by mechanical means such as with a hammer, chisel, ordrill, by vibrations such as with ultrasonic waves, or by spraying withwater such as from a high-pressure source. In some aspects, the bindercan be water-soluble. In other aspects, the mold can be re-used. Inother aspects, either or both of the monolithic bypass 250 and theprimary valve body 210 can be formed by 3D printing the respectivemonolithic bypass 250 and primary valve body 210 from a suitable rigidmaterial rather than 3D printing the mold.

In other aspects, the monolithic bypass 250 or the primary valve body210 can be formed by an investment casting process. A master pattern ofthe monolithic bypass 250 or the primary valve body 210 can be formed,such as by an additive manufacturing process. The master pattern can besubstantially identical in shape and size to the monolithic bypass 250or the primary valve body 210 or a subcomponent of either. The masterpattern can be used to cast a master mold or a master die around themaster pattern, thereby producing a master mold cavity shapedcomplimentary to the monolithic bypass 250 or the primary valve body 210or a subcomponent of either. So-called “wax patterns” can then be castwithin the master mold cavity from materials such as plastic, wax, orfoam. The wax patterns can also be substantially identical in shape andsize to the monolithic bypass 250 or the primary valve body 210 or asubcomponent of either. In some investment casting processes, individualwax pattern subcomponents can be assembled to form an assembled waxpattern which can be substantially identical in shape and size to themonolithic bypass 250 or the primary valve body 210.

A ceramic mold, or an investment, can be formed by applying and curingcoats of ceramic refractory material to the wax pattern. Once theinvestment has cured, the wax pattern can then be melted or vaporizedout of the investment, leaving an open investment cavity formedcomplimentary to either the monolithic bypass 250 or the primary valvebody 210. The monolithic bypass 250 or the primary valve body 210 canthen be cast in the investment by pouring molten material into the openinvestment casting. Upon solidification of the molten material, themonolithic bypass 250 or primary valve body 210 can be divested orremoved from the investment. Operations such as media blasting,hammering, vibration, or water jetting can be used to divest themonolithic bypass 250 or the primary valve body 210 from the investment.Alternatively, an additive manufacturing process could be used to formthe individual wax patterns rather than the master pattern.

Using the monolithic bypass 250 to conduct a bypass operation of theclosed primary valve 910 can be a violent and stressful operation forthe valve assembly 900, and specifically the monolithic bypass 250. Inliquid service, a significant water-hammer effect is exerted on themonolithic bypass 250 at the moment that the bypass valve 960 is firstopened. In gas service, the monolithic bypass 250 can also be exposed toextremely low temperatures due to the Joules-Thomson effect which causesthe gas to cool as it expands when traveling through the monolithicbypass 250 from a high-pressure side of the closed primary valve 910 toa lower pressure side of the valve. The Joules-Thomson effect can alsocause droplets of condensed liquid to drop out of the gas. If thepressure differential is great enough, the gas can approach sonicvelocities as well. The speed of the gas traveling through themonolithic bypass 250, especially with the presence of condenseddroplets, can be extremely erosive on the monolithic bypass 250. Thebypass operation can also cause vibration in the monolithic bypass 250which can stress and fatigue components.

However, the monolithic casting of the monolithic bypass 250, resultingin the seamless bypass bore 450, is well-suited for such service and issuperior to the typical bypass assembly 103 shown in FIG. 1. Compared tothe typical bypass assembly 103, the monolithic bypass 250 can minimizethe number of flanged connections 112. Flanged connections 112 can besusceptible to the water-hammer effect as it places significant stresson the fasteners which can lead to leaking. Additionally, the internalsealing surface defined by the flanged connections 112 is not uniformand smooth which can exacerbate erosion caused during bypass operations.Each of the flanged connections 112 represents a possible leak pathwhich is eliminated from the design of the monolithic bypass 250.

Because of the precision and smooth surfaces of the molds produced by 3Dsand casting, very little finishing work is required for the monolithicbypass 250 or the primary valve body 210. By contrast, the typicalbypass assembly 103 can frequently require re-work and intensivefinishing work to produce an acceptable finished product which can addto manufacturing costs. Because of the relatively short lengths of thefittings comprising the typical bypass assembly 103, it is difficult tomaintain tight fabrication tolerances as well as to adjust for anydeviation thereof. For instance, if the nipples 106 are welded to thetypical body portion 104, heat distortion and the welding process canaffect the overall lengths of the nipples 106 as well as the angles atwhich nipples 106 extend outwards from the typical body portion 104.However, because of the short length of the nipples 106, the nipples 106cannot be easily deflected to aid in mating the flanged connections 112.The elbows 110 a,b are short, stiff, pre-manufactured pipe fittingswhich cannot be readily altered in order to account for out-of-tolerancedimensions which can negatively affect the mating and seal quality ofthe flanged connections 112. The seal quality of each flanged connection112 is very sensitive to angular and dimensional misalignment, and manydesign codes include limits on the degree to which force can be used toalign the flanges when mating each flanged connection 112.

In other applications in which the nipples 106 a,b are threaded intointernally threaded holes (not shown) defined by the typical bodyportion 104, alignment between the nipples 106 a,b and the respectiveelbows 110 a,b can be sensitive to a depth to which the internallythreaded holes are threaded as well as indexing of the threading of eachinternally threaded hole. The nipples 106 a,b must be fully screwed intothe internally threaded holes in order to form a reliable seal; however,if the indexing of the threading is not correct, the elbows 110 a,b canbe angularly misaligned at the flanged connection 112 c. The internallythreaded holes can be thread to a greater depth to correct the indexingof the nipples 106 a,b; however, if a length of the nipple 106 a and thebypass valve 108 is not substantially equal to a length of the nipple106 b, the elbows 110 a,b will experience offset misalignment at theflanged connection 112 c. Because the variables are interrelated,properly aligning and sealing all of the components of the typicalbypass assembly 103 can be difficult and require substantial rework. Themonolithic bypass 250 and primary valve body 210 can eliminate issues ofmisalignment and leaking while significantly increasing a first-timeyield rate during assembly.

Additionally, flanged connections 112 under residual stress frommisalignment are also more sensitive to effects such as water-hammer,vibration, and thermal contraction. Residual stress can also lead tocracking and embrittlement in corrosive service or sulfide service. Theflanged connections 112 typically employ a gasket positioned betweeneach of the flanges which is often made of a different material such aselastomers, polymers, and graphite. These gaskets exhibit differentthermal expansion coefficients from the flanges of the flangeconnections 112 which are typically made of metals or plastics.Consequently, under extreme temperature changes such as those caused bythe Joules-Thomson effect, the gasket can shrink away from the flangescausing a failure in the seal.

In aspects in which the nipples 106 are welded to the typical bodyportion 104, the welded connections often have small inclusions such asporosity, slag, or cracks which can grow when subjected to vibration orextreme thermal stresses. In aspects in which the nipples are screwedinto the typical body portion 104, the threads act as stress riserswhich can nucleate cracks when subjected to vibration and thermalcontraction. Additionally, crevice corrosion can occur between thethreading of the nipples 106 and the typical body portion 104 which canexacerbate the failure of the threaded connection.

Another advantage of the monolithic bypass 250 is that, because themonolithic bypass 250 is integrally cast, a shape of the monolithicbypass 250 is not limited by the machining capabilities of equipmentsuch as mills and lathes, nor is the shape limited by the availabilityof off-the-shelf fittings and components, as exemplified by the aspectof FIG. 8. Integral strengthening features such as a reinforcement web(not shown) extending between the upstream conduit 254 a, downstreamconduit 254 b, and bypass valve body 252 can also be added to themonolithic bypass 250. Consequently, the shape of the monolithic bypass250 can be optimized to provide increased resistance to erosion, reducedwater-hammer, and improved flow characteristics such as direct laminarflow and reduced turbulence. These improved flow characteristics canreduce fluid frictional loss. The monolithic bypass 250 can also bepositioned closer to the primary valve body 210 to reduce the footprintof the valve body assembly 200 for use in space-critical environments.

One should note that conditional language, such as, among others, “can,”“could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, orotherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intendedto convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments donot include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, suchconditional language is not generally intended to imply that features,elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more particularembodiments or that one or more particular embodiments necessarilyinclude logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting,whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to beperformed in any particular embodiment.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merelypossible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clearunderstanding of the principles of the present disclosure. Any processdescriptions or blocks in flow diagrams should be understood asrepresenting modules, segments, or portions of code which include one ormore executable instructions for implementing specific logical functionsor steps in the process, and alternate implementations are included inwhich functions may not be included or executed at all, may be executedout of order from that shown or discussed, including substantiallyconcurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionalityinvolved, as would be understood by those reasonably skilled in the artof the present disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be madeto the above-described embodiment(s) without departing substantiallyfrom the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. Further, thescope of the present disclosure is intended to cover any and allcombinations and sub-combinations of all elements, features, and aspectsdiscussed above. All such modifications and variations are intended tobe included herein within the scope of the present disclosure, and allpossible claims to individual aspects or combinations of elements orsteps are intended to be supported by the present disclosure.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A monolithic bypass comprising: an upstreamconduit, the upstream conduit defining a first end and a second end, theupstream conduit defining an upstream bore extending from the first endto the second end, the first end defining an inlet opening to theupstream bore; a downstream conduit, the downstream conduit defining afirst end and a second end, the downstream conduit defining a downstreambore extending from the first end to the second end, the first enddefining an outlet opening to the downstream bore; and a bypass valvebody seamlessly connected to the second end of the upstream conduit andthe second end of the downstream conduit, the bypass valve body defininga bypass body bore extending from the second end of the upstream conduitto the second end of the downstream conduit, the bypass body boreintersecting the upstream bore and the downstream bore, the bypass bodybore defining a bypass body bore axis, the upstream bore, the downstreambore, and the bypass body bore defining a seamless bypass bore extendingfrom the inlet opening to the outlet opening, the bypass valve bodydefining a bypass seat portion positioned within the bypass body borebetween the upstream bore and the downstream bore, the bypass seatportion configured to seal against a bypass valve member to prevent afluid flow from the upstream bore to the downstream bore; and whereinthe monolithic bypass is substantially U-shaped.
 2. The monolithicbypass of claim 1, further comprising the bypass valve member, thebypass valve member being selectively positionable about and between abypass open position and a bypass closed position, the bypass bore beingunobstructed with the bypass valve member positioned in the bypass openposition, the bypass valve member sealing with the bypass seat portionto block the bypass bore with the bypass valve member in the bypassclosed position.
 3. The monolithic bypass of claim 2, wherein: thebypass valve body defines a bypass valve cavity; the bypass valve cavityintersects the bypass bore between the upstream bore and the downstreambore; and the bypass valve member is positioned within the bypass valvecavity.
 4. The monolithic bypass of claim 2, wherein: the bypass valvebody is a gate valve body; and the bypass valve member is a gate.
 5. Themonolithic bypass of claim 1, wherein: an upstream conduit flange isdisposed at the first end of the upstream conduit; the upstream conduitflange defines the inlet opening; a downstream conduit flange isdisposed at the first end of the downstream conduit; and the downstreamconduit flange defines the outlet opening.
 6. The monolithic bypass ofclaim 5, wherein: the upstream conduit flange defines an upstream flangeface surface which is substantially planar; the downstream conduitflange defines a downstream flange face surface which is substantiallyplanar; and the upstream conduit flange face surface is substantiallyparallel to the downstream conduit flange face surface.
 7. Themonolithic bypass of claim 1, wherein the bypass bore is defined by acontinuous flow of material from the inlet opening to outlet opening. 8.The monolithic bypass of claim 1, wherein: the inlet opening and theoutlet opening are each disposed radially outward from the bypass bodybore relative to the bypass body bore axis; and the bypass body boreaxis does not extend through either the inlet opening or the outletopening.
 9. The monolithic bypass of claim 1, wherein the first end ofthe upstream conduit and the first end of the downstream conduit areeach configured to attach to a primary valve body.
 10. The monolithicbypass of claim 1, wherein the upstream bore and the downstream boreextend radially outward from the bypass body bore relative to the bypassbody bore axis.
 11. The monolithic bypass of claim 1, wherein theupstream conduit, the downstream conduit, and the bypass valve body, incombination, comprise a monolithic casting formed from a singlematerial.
 12. A valve assembly comprising: a primary valve body, theprimary valve body defining an upstream end and a downstream enddisposed opposite from the upstream end, the primary valve body defininga primary outer surface and a primary inner surface disposed oppositefrom the primary inner surface, the primary inner surface defining aprimary bore extending from the upstream end to the downstream end, theprimary valve body defining an upstream boss bore and a downstream bossbore each extending through the primary valve body from the primaryouter surface to the primary inner surface, the upstream boss boreintersecting an upstream portion of the primary bore proximate to theupstream end, the downstream boss bore intersecting a downstream portionof the primary bore proximate to the downstream end; and a monolithicbypass, the monolithic bypass comprising: an upstream conduit, theupstream conduit defining a first end and a second end, the upstreamconduit defining a seamless upstream bore extending from the first endto the second end, the upstream bore sealed in fluid communication withthe upstream boss bore at the first end; a downstream conduit, thedownstream conduit defining a first end and a second end, the downstreamconduit defining a seamless downstream bore extending from the first endto the second end, the downstream bore sealed in fluid communicationwith the downstream boss bore at the first end; a bypass valve bodyseamlessly connected to the second end of the upstream conduit and thesecond end of the downstream conduit, the bypass valve body defining abypass body bore extending from the second end of the upstream conduitto the second end of the downstream conduit, the bypass body boreseamlessly intersecting the upstream bore and the downstream bore, thebypass body bore defining a bypass seat portion positioned between theupstream bore and the downstream bore; and a bypass valve memberconfigured to seal against the bypass seat portion to prevent a fluidflow through the bypass body bore between the upstream bore and thedownstream bore.
 13. The valve assembly of claim 12, wherein: theprimary outer surface defines an upstream boss; the upstream boss boreextends through the upstream boss; and the first end of the upstreamconduit is attached to the upstream boss.
 14. The valve assembly ofclaim 13, wherein: an upstream conduit flange is defined at the firstend of the upstream conduit; the upstream conduit flange is attached tothe upstream boss by a plurality of fasteners; and a seal is formedbetween the upstream boss and the upstream conduit flange.
 15. The valveassembly of claim 13, wherein: the primary bore defines a primary boreaxis; the upstream boss is a first upstream boss; the primary outersurface defines a second upstream boss; and the first upstream boss iscircumferentially offset from the second upstream boss relative to theprimary bore axis.
 16. The valve assembly of claim 12, wherein: thebypass valve body defines a bypass valve cavity; the bypass valve cavityintersects the bypass bore between the upstream bore and the downstreambore; and the bypass valve member is positioned within the bypass valvecavity.
 17. The valve assembly of claim 16, wherein: the bypass valvemember is selectively positionable about and between a bypass openposition and a bypass closed position; the bypass bore is unobstructedwith the bypass valve member in the bypass open position; and the bypassvalve member seals with the bypass seat portion to block the bypass borewith the bypass valve member in the bypass closed position.
 18. Thevalve assembly of claim 12, further comprising a primary valve member,wherein: the primary bore defines a primary seat portion; and theprimary seat portion is configured to seal against the primary valvemember to prevent a fluid flow through the primary bore between theupstream end and the downstream end.
 19. The valve assembly of claim 12,wherein the bypass body bore is substantially parallel to the primarybore.
 20. The valve assembly of claim 12, wherein: the primary boredefines a primary bore axis; and the monolithic bypass extends radiallyoutwards from the primary valve body relative to the primary bore axis.